Coupling-operating mechanism



Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

{SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. KELSO.

COUPLING OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION man sapnz. 1920.

IIIIIIIHIEEE nun I kV/f/iess UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM KELSO, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 TI-IEl MCCONWAY &

SYLVANIA.

COUPLING-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed September 2, 1920: Serial No. 407,739.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM KELso, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupling-Operating Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the lollowingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a coupler operating mechanism and has for its object to provide simple and eliicient means for enabling a trainman to move the car coupler to any desired position when the coupler knuckle is' either open or closed and also to eilect an unlocking oi the coupler and the operation of its knuckle opening mechanism in the event the coupler is provided with knuckle opening devices. A further object of the in-- vention is so to construct the coupler operating mechanism that the handle or operating lever thereof shall not be subject to lateral movements of an extent corresponding to those executed by the coupler when the car is passing around a curve. A still further object of the invention is to provide effective means whereby the operating handle of the device returns to normal position after having been moved to shift the coupler laterally or to actuate the coupler locking mechanism. Generally stated, the principal-feature of the invention by whichthese several objects are accomplished consists in providing a lever device which, through the intermediacy of a slidable and rotatable rod, is adapted to displace the coupler laterally and to actuate the locking mechanism of said coupler, the lever device involving a movable rack or toothed member and an operating handle which is movably connected to said rack and adapted to actuate the latter. A further im-- portant feature of the invention consists in constructing the lever mechanism by which i the coupler actuating rod is operated with a rotatable rack which is pivotally attached at independent points to said rod and to the operating handle of the mechanism- There are minor features of the invention residing in the particular manner of constructing and combining the parts, all as will hereinafter appear. i I

In the drawings illustrating the best mode in which I contemplate applying the principle of my invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims,-

Figure l front elevation of a laterally movable car coupler and coupler operatin mechanism embodying my invention, that parts being in normal relation correspondmg to the central position of the coupler.

lug. 2 1s a side elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, illustratin the preferred mode of connecting the coii pler operating mechanism to the coupler.

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the coupler operating mechanism.

Ii 1g. 4 1s a sectional view on the line 4-t, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of a portion of the mechanism, showing the operating handle thereof in position for effecting a lateral shifting of the coupler. &

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the segn ent rack forming a part of the lever device.

Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the segment rack. v

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a modified construction embodying my invention.

In the drawings, 1 is a coupler having a knuckle and suitable knuckle locking mechanism. The coupler shown in the drawings is of a well known type designed to be pivotally attached to the draft rigging of a railway car so as to be capable of swinging laterally when the car is passing around a curve. The knuckle locking means of this coupler is moved upwardly to unlocked posi tion by a link 2 which enters the coupler head and is operatively connected to the coupler lock. The link 2 is pivotally connected at its lower end to a litter which is provided at its inner end with oppositely disposed trunnions 4: that are journaled in upwardly opening bearings 5 formed on a bracket 6 to which the coupler is rigidly connected. At the inner end of the lifter 3 a pocket 7 is formed to receive the upwardly projecting ends of slidable and rotatable rods 8 by which the respective lever devices at the opposite sides of the car are connected to. the coupler 1. When either of the lever mechanisms is actuated to move the adjacent rod 8 transversely of the car, the couk' pler 1 will be correspondingly shifted later ally; and when either of the rods is rotated upon its axis in the proper direction by the lever device associated therewith, the lock lifter 3 will be caused to swing upwardly, thereby enabling the link 2 to move the cou pler lock to unlocked position or to cause it to perform an extended unlocking movement fleeting the operation of the knuckle opening devices.

As the construction of the lever devices by which the rods 8 are operated is identi cal, only one such lever device has been illustrated in the drawings; but it will be understood that while it is preferred to employ two rods and two lever devices, so that thetrainman may unlock the coupler and shift it laterally from either side of the car, nevertheless a single unit comprising one leverdevice and a rod for ope 'atively connecting it to the coupler, may be used if desired.

Each rod 8 is adapted to be rotated by means of a lever device to effect an unlocking 01"; the coupler and also to be shifted transversely of the car to bring about a lateral displacement of the coupler, the said lever device involving a movable rack 9 and an operating handle 10 movably connected to said rack and provided with means adapted operatively to engage'the teeth of the latter. The outer end of the rod 8 is pivotally connected to the rack member 9, preferably by means of a countersunk rivet 11., and the operating lever or handle 10 is preterably connected to said rack member by a pin'and slot connection, the said handle be- I ing for this purpose provided at its upper end with slotted arms- 12 which receive the rackbetween them and through the slots 13 of which, as well as through the said rack, a pivot bolt 11 extends. The rack 9 is of segment form, its teeth 15 being arranged in an arc the center of curvature of which is the bolt 14. The handle 10 is provided with means adapted to be engaged at will with the'teeth 15 of the rack to operate the latter. For this purpose the operating handie is preferably provided with a tooth or pawl 16 formed as a crossbar located between the slotted arms 12 of the lever and rkS shown in the drawings, the contour of the teeth 15 of the rack and that of the pawl or crossbar 16 are preferably such that the pawl automatically disengages from the teeth 15 and under the influence of gravity the handle 10 returns to normal position when the trainman releases it after having moved the rack 9 to effect a lateral shifting of the coupler. V

The rack 9 and the operating handle movably connected thereto are arranged upon the car so as to be capable of swinging both transversely and longitudinally with respect to the latter. To this end the mechanism preferably involves a bracket 1.? rigidly connected to the car and provided with downwardly extending perforated lugs 18. A bolt 19 which passes through the lugs 18 pivotally supports a link 20 to which the rack 9 is in turn pivotally connected by means of the bolt 2.1. The upper end of the link 20 extends between the pivot lugs 18 of the stationary bracket, while the upper end of the rack member 9 similarly extends between the pivot lugs of the link 20. By this means the operating handle 10 is adapted to rotate the rack about a plurality oi independent axes, the rotation incident to the operation of unlockim;- the coupler being about the bolt 21 and the rotation occurring when the coupler is shifted laterally being upon the bolt 19.

In the modified form oi? the invention illustrated in Fig. 8 the operating handle or lever 23 is attached to the rack F) by a bolt 24 so as to be capable only of pivotal movement with respect to the rack. In lieu of the pawl or crossbar 16 this form of my invention provides spring actuated bolt 25 for engaging the teeth 15 ot the rack. This bolt or pawl is slidably mounted upon the operating handle 23 and is normally retained in retracted position by means of an cucircling spring 26 which. is interposed botween the operating handle and a scat or collar 27 formed on the bolt somewhat above its lower end. As a convenient means for projecting the bolt 25 so as to cause it to engage the teeth 15 of the rack, it is preferred to pivotally mount upon the operating handle 23, by m ans of a bolt or pin '28 passing through suitably perforated lugs of the handle, a bell crank lever 30 whose shorter arm is pivotally attached to the lower end of the slidablc bolt 25. The pivot pin 31 by which the members 25 and 30 are connected has suiiicient clearance in the pivot holes of those members to allow the bolt 25 to slide longitudinally of the operating handle 23 without binding thereon, and the lower portion of the bell crank lever 30 is spaced from the lower end of the operating lever 23 a distance enabling it conveniently to be grasped by the truininan and retained in a position corresponding to the projected position of the slidable bolt or pawl 25 when the handle 23 is being employed for displacing the coupler laterally.

In operating the device for unlocking the Fig. 8 is performed in the same. manner as the operation for that purpose heretofore described, that is to say, the trainman grasps the operating handle 23 and pulls its lower end forwardly, thus causing the 'ack 9 to turn upon the pivot bolt 21 and rotate the rod 8 by which the coupler locking mechanism is actuated. To shift the coupler laterally with the devices illustrated in Fig. 8, the trainman preliminarily operates the bell crank lever 30 to project the slidable bolt 25 into engagement with the most conveniently located tooth 15 of the rack, and while said bolt is in operative engagement with the rack the operating handle 23 is pulled or pushed transversely of the car as may be required to shift the position of the coupler,

such transverse movement of the handle causing the rack 9 to execute a pivotal movement about the bolt 19 and to effect a sliding or lateral shifting of the rod 8 and the coupler attached thereto.

By reason of being pivotally attached to the rack 9 the operating handle 10 is enabled to maintain its vertical position at all times, and by being suspended from the pivot bolt 14, which moves around the pivot bolt 19 in a circular path of less radius than that traversed by the point of attachment of the rod 8 to the rack 9, a desirable reduction in the lateral movements of the handle 10 in response to the swinging of the coupler from side to side is eifected. This advantageous result is also accomplished by the modified form of my invention. With the well known form of uncoupling rod in which the outer end is bent to form a handle, the handle moves laterally the same distance as does the coupler.

I claim- 1. In mechanism of the character inch-- cated, the combination with a laterally movable c'ar coupler, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means involving a lever device and means operatively connecting said lever device and coupler, and said lever device including a movable rack and an operating handle adapted to actuate said rack and movable with respect thereto.

2. In mechanism of the character inclicated, the combination with a laterally movable c'ar coupler, of means for shifting said coupler lat rally, said means involving a movable rack, a rod pivotally connected to said rack and operativelyconnected to said coupler, and an operating handle movably connected to said rack.

In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable car coupler, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means involving an operating handle, a rod operatively connected to said coupler, and means operatively interposed between said rod and ham dle for moving said rod in response to move-- mentsol. said handle, said last named means being movable with and also independently of said handle.

4C. In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable car coupler and its locking mechanism, of means for unlocking said coupler, and means for shifting said coupler laterally, said unlocking means and said shifting means involving in common a slidable and rotatable rod operatively connected to said coupler, an operating handle, and means movably connected to said rod -for operatively connecting said rod to said handle, said rod and said last named means being adapted to move independently of said handle. i

In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable car coupler and its locking mechanism,

of a rod operatively connected to said coupler and adapted to shift the same laterally and to actuate the locking mechanism thereoi. and a lever device adapted to actuate said rod, said lever device involving a rack pi votally attached to said rod, and an operating handle having a pawl adapted to engage the teeth oi. said rack, said operating handle being adapted to rotate said rack about a plurality of independent axes.

G. In mechanism of the character indicated, thecombination with a laterally movable car coupler and its locking mechanism, of a rod adapted to shift said coupler laterally and to actuate the locking mechanism of said coupler, a member movably connected to said rod and provided with a plurality of teeth, and a handle for actuating said toothed member, said handle being provided with means for engaging said teeth to actuate said toothed member, and said toothed. member being adapted to be moved by said rod independently oi. said handle.

7. In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable car coupler and its locking mechanism, of a slidable and rotatable rod operatively connected to said coupler and adapted to shift the same laterally and to actuate the locking mechanism thereof, a segment rack pivotally connected to said rod, means for attaching said rack to a car so that it may have pivotal movement about a plurality of independent axes, and a handle for operat- 7 ing said rod through the intermedia-cy of said rack, said handle being provided with a tooth adapted to engage the teeth of said 5 rack' andbeing pivotally mounted on said 7 rack.

g S. In mechanism of the character indicated, the-combination with a laterally movable car coupler and its locking mechanism,

10 of a slidable and rotatable rod operatively connected to said coupler and adapted to shift the same laterally and to actuate the locking mechanism thereof, a member provided with a plurality of teeth and movably connected to said rod and the car upon and slot connection, and said handle being provided with means for engaging said teeth to move said toothed member.

9. In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable car coupler and'its locking mechanism,

of a'slidable and rotatable rod operatively connected to saiduc-oupler and adapted to shift-the same laterally and to actuate the locking mechanism thereof a segment rack 39 pivotally connected to said rod, an operating handle pivotally and slid-ably connected to said segment rack, said handle being provided with a tooth adapted to cooperate with the teeth of said rack, a bracket adapted to be secured to the car upon which the coupler is mounted, and a member interposed betwcen and pivotally connected to said bracket and said segment rack.

10. In mechanism oi the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable car coupler and its locking mechanism, of a bracket attached to the car upon which said coupler is mounted, a link pivotally supported by said bracket and adapted to swing transversely of the car, a rack pivotall supported by said link and adapted to swing about an axis extending at an angle to the axis of pivotal movement of said link, a handle pivotally mounted on, said rack and provided with means adapted to engage the teeth oi said rack, and a rod eperatively connected to said coupler and pivotally attached to said rack.

11. In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable coupler and its locking mechanism, of a rod operatively connected to said coupler and adapted to shift the same laterally and to actuate the unlocking mechanism thereof, and means for actuating said rod, said means involving a handle and a member pivotally mounted upon the car and pivotally attached at independent points to said rod and said handle.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

lVILLIAh I KELSO. 

